Dude Ranches: The Cowboy Way
Author: Hunter Holcombe
May 2008
Features
Bring your team together at an authentic Western dude ranch
His name is Little John, and he’s your new best friend. For the last two hours you’ve been skirting heaven, six feet off the ground, straddled across Little John’s wide back and riding comfortable in a creaky leather saddle.The 10 horses in your group have picked up their speed a little into a brisk canter, but by now you’ve learned how to stand up slightly in the stirrups and squeeze your knees together to prevent a bumpy ride.
Up ahead, your guide Pete is chatting away with the CFO in his distinctive Wyoming drawl, while most of the other riders smile silently, taking in a beautiful natural scenery that can only be accessed by horseback or on foot. Tonight, after a home-cooked meal and stories around the campfire, you’ll head back to your cabin and sink into your luxurious pillow-top bed, visions of tomorrow morning’s flapjacks already in mind.
It’s a dude ranch, of course, a cherished leftover from an unforgotten era, and a lifestyle that can only be found in the Western United States. It is hard to find someone who doesn’t have some level of fascination with horses and the cowboy way and—lucky for you—the West is full of authentic dude ranches ready to provide one of the most memorable group events you’ve ever had.
Fascination with the ranch experience began as early as the late 19th century, when the West was officially considered settled and cowboy nostalgia grew into a desire to experience the way things were. A settled West also meant that those from the East Coast (greenhorns) could now come out to the ranches without the formerly inherent risks. After World War I the fascination with the Wild West increased, as automobiles allowed better access and Western movies populated the silver screen. While many working ranches were more than happy to have paying visitors come onto the land and see what cowboy life was like, most often these facilities were not exactly equipped for the “vacation experience.” Today, however, dude ranches are professional operations, and planners can expect the best in both customer service and group facilitation.
“A dude ranch is a place where people go to enjoy and experience the great western outdoors in a very safe environment,” says Colleen Hodson, director of sales and marketing for The Dude Ranchers’ Association, which represents more than 100 guest ranches in North America. “Ranches give people the opportunity to slow down, unplug and recharge.”
THE WORKING RANCH
It may come as a surprise to some that there are still many working ranches in the West, and that you don’t have to head into the middle of nowhere to find them. Working ranches continue to make their money through such traditional practices as raising livestock and horse boarding, breeding and training. While the majority of ranches do not cater to visitors, the popularity of the guest-ranch experience has nudged some working ranches into opening their doors, building guest rooms and offering rides and other activities.
The advantage of bringing your group to a working guest ranch is that authenticity can elevate the experience significantly. For one, the staff are often career hired hands from such places as Wyoming and Montana—the closest thing to genuine cowboys—and can be a treat for guests who want to soak up the ranch culture and ply them with questions about their duties. Working ranches are also naturally outfitted for any type of ranch activity—if they don’t already offer guests such options as herding, corralling and roping, planners can often work with the ranch to create custom team-building activities involving real-life ranch scenarios.
“The beauty of the dude ranch experience is that it can be what you want it to be,” Hodson says. “You can spend your days in the saddle riding through some of the most spectacular places in the world, or fishing miles of private world-class waters, mountain biking, hiking, white-water rafting, team-penning—to name just a few activities.”
The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, near Santa Barbara, Calif., sits on 10,000 pristine acres in the warm Santa Ynez Valley. Not only is it a fully working cattle ranch, it has also been bringing guests and groups out to stay at its luxurious accommodations since 1946. With plenty of open space to offer, groups do well here—the breakfast ride, for example, takes guests up and over picturesque hills to arrive at the historic Adobe Camp, a remote setup that can handle large groups for banquets or just singing around the campfire.
Alisal also typifies the resort ranch experience by the fact that it offers premium resort-style accommodations and meeting space as well as other activities like nearby golf, a spa, fitness center, excellent dining and alternative (non-ranch) team-building activities. A partnership with neighboring Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, for example, allows for custom winemaker dinners and private winery tours.
At the base of the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming, 100-year-old The Hideout at Flitner Ranch sits on over a quarter-million acres, making it one of the largest working cattle ranches in the country. It’s also a great place to bring a small group, with premium cabin-style accommodations and a number of team-building experiences designed for corporate groups.
The Hideout also has a reputation for taking things a bit farther than most guest ranches. In addition to offering numerous horseback rides, the staff encourages guests to take part in the full ranch experience—branding livestock, rounding up cattle, sorting cattle and even helping work the farm. If your group would thrive on a fully authentic cowboy experience, The Hideout will have no problem putting them to work!
SADDLE BY DAY, SPA BY NIGHT
While roping cattle and taming horses from sunup to sundown might be pure bliss for some, others wouldn’t mind the comforts of a more traditional retreat, especially after a day of hard “work.” Thankfully, many ranches have become wise to the wishes of their discerning guests, and offer everything from luxurious accommodations to upscale dining to spa options. The meeting facilities at these resort ranches are often a few notches above as well, featuring amenities like A/V equipment and Wi-Fi.
“Resort ranches tend to be the larger ranches,” Hodson says. “While horseback riding is featured, these ranches offer an array of diverse activities and onsite facilities.”
This may be a perfect option for those who may not be quite as enthusiastic about roughing it day and night, or for longer stays, where just riding horses everyday might become a little tiresome.
Groups can expect the definition of luxurious ranching at the C Lazy U Ranch, a few hours south of Denver near Rocky Mountain National Park. Here, in addition to ranch activities, guests will discover a heated outdoor pool with hot tub, indoor sauna, full exercise room, two bars and lounge, wireless Internet and plasma TVs. The 40 plush guest accommodations feature fireplaces and whirlpool tubs, while a fine-dining restaurant provides all the culinary comforts of a traditional resort.
Another resort ranch that does an excellent job of blending authentic ranch experience with upscale comforts is the Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, Ariz. Set up in the hills above town, the ranch is graced with a perpetually friendly and happy atmosphere (even the 200 horses are always playful and frisky). Because it operates as an all-inclusive, as many ranches do, guests are free to peruse the ranch’s diverse options, from tennis to guided hiking to private riding lessons. Tanque Verde is particularly well set up for meetings, with several professional indoor meeting rooms. Taking advantage of Tucson’s perpetually sunny weather and the beautiful Sonora Desert, however, the ranch also offers a number of outdoor meeting spaces. A full spa, in-room massage and a beautiful bar are guaranteed to work out any saddle sores.
For the ultimate incentive experience, consider The Resort at Paws Up, an award-winning upscale ranch in Western Montana. Luxurious enough for the likes of Mick Jagger, the resort not only offers possibly the cleanest tack room in the world, but also some of the most luxurious accommodations around, in the form of beautiful guest homes personally furnished by owner Nadine Lipson. Activities abound year-round at the ranch, including horseback riding, snowmobiling, geocaching, ice-climbing and mountain biking. And you wouldn’t want to miss a chance at fly-fishing in Big Blackfoot River, made famous by A River Runs Through It.
FORM A POSSE
While just about anyone will happily agree to a luxurious spa treatment, round of golf or Five-Star hotel room, these aren’t necessarily the best ways to bring your team together. Naturally, employees will be grateful for such treatment, but often the twin goal of group trips is to bring the team together and strengthen the office relationships that are so crucial to a successful company.
On this count, the dude ranch experience excels—there is nothing like throwing a team of people into an unfamiliar and romanticized setting to create some fresh perspective and renew relationships.
“I’ve been on a lot of trips, and this was one of the best—it was truly different,” says Jack Ball, sales manger of Tru-Power Inc., a lawn and garden equipment company based in Corona, Calif. “My group was constantly intermingling; they became better acquainted.”
Ball, who plans incentive trips for the company’s top sellers, brought his group to the White Stallion Guest Ranch in Tucson a few years ago. With 80 attendees, he was able to negotiate a buyout of the ranch, which allowed him to create a jam-packed and customized itinerary that included everything from evening comedy acts to rodeo shows to a quick-draw contest. With top salespeople from different branches of the company, Ball says the ranch environment allowed his group to really bond with each other, to meet their internal competition and to “talk shop” in-between the various activities.
Ball points out that there was also another major benefit to the guest ranch experience. “I really had control of my people,” he says. “On a cruise or at other destinations, you tend to lose them. But, here, I had their full attention.”
A guest ranch is naturally conducive to group collaboration. Because of the ranch’s diverse activities and wide-open spaces, the potential for any team-building experience is practically limitless. In addition, working a ranch is inherently challenging and requires intense teamwork—no one ever herds sheep or brands a cow without the careful partnership of a few trustworthy friends.
Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, in Big Fork, Mont., brings groups together with such activities as team-roping, team-penning and various horsemanship competitions. The ranch is also well-designed for conferences, with per-person rates and several professional indoor meeting rooms.
The 320 Guest Ranch in Big Sky, Mont., sits close to Yellowstone National Park and offers just about any outdoor activity imaginable. In the winter, groups can go dog sledding, big-game hunting or backcountry skiing, while summertime brings such crowd-pleasers as white-water rafting, ATV rides and nightly bonfires. Oh, and, of course, horseback riding.
SLEEP UNDER THE STARS
For the true cowboy wannabes, nothing beats overnight horseback trips. While riding for multiple days on end and roughing it in the great outdoors requires that you really know your group’s expectations and limitations, there is nothing more memorable than riding deep into the backcountry, miles from a paved road or cell phone ring (try to leave the satellite phone at home).
It’s also the ultimate team-building experience, and several ranches and independent operations know how to maximize the trip with professional guides, optional comforts and the most spectacular trails in the country.
At Eaton’s Ranch in the town of Wolf, Wyo., groups go into Bighorn National Forest for overnight trips that can be completely customized. The ranch supplies all the necessary equipment, including guides and a wrangler-cook, so you are sure to keep all your hungry cowboys happy. In addition to overnight trips, the ranch also allows experienced riders to take horses out unescorted, allowing them to experience the full freedom of the outdoors.
Ranch Rider, which provides a directory of ranches and ranch experiences throughout North America, offers a seven-day pack trip deep into the Rocky Mountain Wilderness of Alberta, Canada. While all the essential gear is hauled up in a covered wagon, riders are free to explore the trails of the pristine Canadian wilderness.
STAY IN YOUR SADDLE
As exciting and rewarding as dude ranches can be, there are several things to keep in mind when considering one for your next group event. The first, of course, is the fact that not everyone may embrace the idea of sitting on top of a four-legged animal and riding around in the outdoors. Though some refuse to believe it, there are even those of us who simply don’t like horses. If this is the case with even a few members of your group, picking a dude ranch would clearly be a disaster.
If there are any doubts expressed from anyone in your group, a resort ranch might be your best option, as they typically provide enough non-horse activities to keep anyone happy. But the last thing you want is one or two people refusing to go on group horseback rides—the opposite of a team-building experience. Knowing your group is a critical precedent to booking with a dude ranch.
The other major challenge with dude ranches is the number of accommodations. Most ranches, while perhaps encompassing thousands of acres, will be on the more intimate side, rarely offering more than 100 rooms. Meeting space, as well, is generally best suited to smaller groups. But horseback rides for more than a few dozen people tend not to be very popular anyway, and typically the guest ranch experience is an incentive or VIP occasion. In any case, it’s important to work closely with the ranch representative. “Make sure the size of the ranch will accommodate your group,” Hodson says. “There are no cookie-cutter ranches.” On the flipside, however, fewer accommodations means a group has a better chance of negotiating a buyout. With the entire facility to yourself, you’re guaranteed top-notch service, the best horses and the freedom to create just about any custom activity you can imagine.
Finally, while many ranches have begun following the demand for high-tech meeting equipment, particularly the resort ranches, keep in mind that these are nothing close to conference resorts or major city hotels. “Many of our ranches now offer all the high-tech amenities a group may require, but remember that these ranches are located in remote spectacular places with less access,” Hodson says.
FINDING THE PERFECT DUDE RANCH
No two dude ranches are alike, and finding the right one for your group is important for things to go off without a hitch. The Dude Ranchers’ Association, which represents more than 100 dude ranches in North America, is an excellent place to get some assistance, and can direct and advise you much in the way of a CVB. Another excellent resource is Ranch Web, which provides information on ranches worldwide, as well as Ranch Rider, covering North American ranches and ranching adventure trips.
Resources
320 Guest Ranch, Big Sky, Mont.
320ranch.com
91 rms/2,409 sq. ft.
Close to Yellowstone National Park; abundant summer and winter recreational activities.
Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, Big Fork, Mont.
flatheadlakelodge.com
45 rms/5,061 sq. ft.
Numerous team-building activities; several indoor meeting rooms.
The Dude Ranchers’ Association
duderanch.org
Represents more than 100 guest ranches in North America.
Smith Fork Ranch, Crawford, Colo.
smithforkranch.com
13 units/5,800 sq. ft.
Private mountain retreat with large cabins and guest lodge. Guided fishing, riding and hiking.
Tanque Verde Ranch, Tucson, Ariz.
tvgr.com
74 rms/4,000 sq. ft.
All-inclusive resort ranch in the Sonoran Desert; authentic ranch feel, upscale accommodations.
